Case Digest: Dr. Li vs Spouses Soliman

G.R. No.165279: June 7, 2011 DR. RUBI LI, Petitioner, v. SPOUSES REYNALDO and LINA SOLIMAN, as parents/heirs of deceased Angelica Soliman,Respondent. VILLARAMA, JR., J.:

FACTS: On July 7, 1993, respondents 11-year old daughter, Angelica Soliman, underwent a biopsy of the mass located in her lower extremity at the St. Lukes Medical Center (SLMC).Results showed that Angelica was suffering from osteosarcoma, osteoblastic type,a high-grade (highly malignant) cancer of the bone which usually afflicts teenage children. Following this diagnosis and as primary intervention, Angelicas right leg was amputated by Dr. Jaime Tamayo in order to remove the tumor.As adjuvant treatment to eliminate any remaining cancer cells, and hence minimize the chances of recurrence and prevent the disease from spreading to other parts of the patients body (metastasis), chemotherapy was suggested by Dr. Tamayo.Dr. Tamayo referred Angelica to another doctor at SLMC, herein petitioner Dr. Rubi Li, a medical oncologist.

On August 18, 1993, Angelica was admitted to SLMC.However, she died on September 1, 1993, just eleven (11) days after the (intravenous) administration of the first cycle of the chemotherapy regimen. Because SLMC refused to release a death certificate without full payment of their hospital bill, respondents brought the cadaver of Angelica to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory at Camp Crame for post-mortem examination. The Medico-Legal Report issued by said institution indicated the cause of death as "Hypovolemic shock secondary to multiple organ hemorrhages and Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation."

On February 21, 1994, respondents filed a damage suit against petitioner, Dr. Leo Marbella, Mr. Jose Ledesma, a certain Dr. Arriete and SLMC. Respondents charged them with negligence and disregard of Angelicas safety, health and welfare by their careless administration of the chemotherapy drugs, their failure to observe the essential precautions in detecting early the symptoms of fatal blood platelet decrease and stopping early on the chemotherapy, which bleeding led to hypovolemic shock that caused Angelicas untimely demise.

On her part, Dr. Balmaceda declared that it is the physicians duty to inform and explain to the patient or his relatives every known side effect of the procedure or therapeutic agents to be administered, before securing the consent of the patient or his relatives to such procedure or therapy.The physician thus bases his assurance to the patient on his personal assessment of the patients condition and his knowledge of the general effects of the agents or procedure that will be allowed on the patient.Dr. Balmaceda stressed that the patient or relatives must be informed of all known side effects based on studies and observations, even if such will aggravate the patients condition.

In dismissing the complaint, the trial court held that petitioner was not liable for damages as she observed the best known procedures and employed her highest skill and knowledge in the administration of chemotherapy drugs on Angelica but despite all efforts said patient died.

ISSUE: Whether the petitioner can be held liable for failure to fully disclose serious side effects to the parents of the child patient who died while undergoing chemotherapy, despite the absence of finding that petitioner was negligent in administering the said treatment

HELD: No

CIVIL LAW: Torts and Damages, Medical Negligence

There are four essential elements a plaintiff must prove in a malpractice action based upon the doctrine of informed consent: "(1) the physician had a duty to disclose material risks; (2) he failed to disclose or inadequately disclosed those risks; (3) as a direct and proximate result of the failure to disclose, the patient consented to treatment she otherwise would not have consented to; and (4) plaintiff was injured by the proposed treatment." The gravamen in an informed consent case requires the plaintiff to "point to significant undisclosed information relating to the treatment which would have altered her decision to undergo it.

Examining the evidence on record, we hold that there was adequate disclosure of material risks inherent in the chemotherapy procedure performed with the consent of Angelicas parents.Respondents could not have been unaware in the course of initial treatment and amputation of Angelicas lower extremity, that her immune system was already weak on account of the malignant tumor in her knee. When petitioner informed the respondents beforehand of the side effects of chemotherapy which includes lowered counts of white and red blood cells, decrease in blood platelets, possible kidney or heart damage and skin darkening, there is reasonable expectation on the part of the doctor that the respondents understood very well that the severity of these side effects will not be the same for all patients undergoing the procedure. In other words, by the nature of the disease itself, each patients reaction to the chemical agents even with pre-treatment laboratory tests cannot be precisely determined by the physician. That death can possibly result from complications of the treatment or the underlying cancer itself, immediately or sometime after the administration of chemotherapy drugs, is a risk that cannot be ruled out, as with most other major medical procedures, but such conclusion can be reasonably drawn from the general side effects of chemotherapy already disclosed.

As a physician, petitioner can reasonably expect the respondents to have considered the variables in the recommended treatment for their daughter afflicted with a life-threatening illness.On the other hand, it is difficult to give credence to respondents claim that petitioner told them of 95% chance of recovery for their daughter, as it was unlikely for doctors like petitioner who were dealing with grave conditions such as cancer to have falsely assured patients of chemotherapy's success rate. Besides, informed consent laws in other countries generally require only a reasonable explanation of potential harms, so specific disclosures such as statistical data, may not be legally necessary.

The element of ethical duty to disclose material risks in the proposed medical treatment cannot thus be reduced to one simplistic formula applicable in all instances. Further, in a medical malpractice action based on lack of informed consent, "the plaintiff must prove both the duty and the breach of that duty through expert testimony. Such expert testimony must show the customary standard of care of physicians in the same practice as that of the defendant doctor. PETITION DENIED.